1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a support assembly for suspending an article of interest and the like from a supporting structure, and more particularly to an apparatus which is operative to support a source of small animal food such as that which would be provided for birds, squirrels or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Bird watching is a very popular pastime in the United States. Over the years, many wild bird enthusiasts have experimented with various seed formulations in order to attract specific species of wild birds. Furthermore, it has been the widespread practice of many homeowners to provide bird feeders and other sources of food for native wild birds throughout the year.
Manufactures of small animal food have for some time produced products which may be suspended from tree branches or the like, and which may be eaten by squirrels and birds. Until quite recently, no convenient, and/or inexpensive method had been devised to suspend these small animal food products apart from the obvious methods of utilizing net-like containers and other more elaborate structures such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,708 which is incorporated by reference herein.
While the prior art devices and practices, including the device shown in the above-referenced patent, have operated with varying degrees of success, they are unsatisfactory in one or more respects. For example, some of the prior art devices and practices are cumbersome, difficult to manufacture, or present problems with respect to retaining them in an appropriate, suspended or supported position on an object, such as a tree branch; or otherwise do not admit to convenient easy deployment in other environments. Furthermore, some of these same devices are manufactured from materials which may be ingested by the animals who are feeding on same. Yet another deficiency with the prior art devices and practices are their obvious inability to be manufactured and sold at a relatively nominal price.
Therefore, it has long been known that it would desirable to have a support assembly that is capable of positioning an object of interest, such as a source of small animal food in a desired position, for the purpose of exposing the object of interest for consumption by small animals, or for point of purchase display, and which is capable of performing a variety of other useful functions, the device being both inexpensive to manufacture and sell, and relatively easy to employ.